Privacy Policy

• NorthStar Navigators (NSN) is a Christ-centered senior care organization based in Texas that helps seniors safely age at home with the support of expert nurses and secure health technology.

• We work alongside your primary care doctor to coordinate your care — we are a supplement to your medical team, not a replacement.

• We are committed to protecting your privacy and comply with federal HIPAA/HITECH regulations, the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) governing our calls and text messages, and Texas state health privacy laws (Texas Health & Safety Code, Chapter 181).

This document also serves as our Notice of Privacy Practices under HIPAA. It describes how we may use and disclose your health information and your rights regarding that information. You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.

• Your name, date of birth, address, phone number, and email address.

• Health information such as your medical history, conditions, medications, and care needs — shared with us by you or your doctor.

• Vital sign and health data collected through remote monitoring tools (such as blood pressure readings, weight, and oxygen levels).

• Records of phone calls, video calls, text messages, and other communications between you and our nursing team.

• Basic website information (such as your IP address and browser type) when you visit ns-navs.com — this is never connected to your health records.

• To coordinate your care with your primary care doctor and nursing team.

• To monitor your health at home and alert your doctor if something needs attention.

• To contact you for check-ins, health reminders, and care support.

• To process billing through Medicare and your doctor's practice.

• To improve the quality of our services using data that does not identify you personally.

• Minimum necessary. When we use or share your health information, we limit it to the minimum necessary to accomplish the purpose, except for treatment, where your full information may be shared among your care team.

• We do not sell your information. We do not use your health information for marketing without your written permission.

• With your primary care physician and your authorized care team to support your treatment.

• With Medicare or other insurance programs for billing purposes through your doctor's practice.

• With trusted service providers who help us deliver care — each is bound by a formal Business Associate Agreement (BAA) requiring them to safeguard your information under HIPAA rules.

• When required by law, such as public health reporting or a valid legal order.

• We never share your information with marketers, employers, or data brokers.

• You can request a copy of the health information we hold about you.

• You can ask us to correct information that is wrong or incomplete.

• You can ask us to limit how we use or share your information in certain situations.

• You can ask how and to whom your information has been disclosed (an accounting of disclosures).

• You can ask us to communicate with you in a specific way (such as by phone only).

• If you have given us written authorization to use or share your information, you may revoke it in writing at any time, except where we have already acted in reliance on it.

• Under Texas law, you have additional protections for your electronic health records and genetic information.

• You will never be penalized for exercising any of these rights.

• All electronic health data is encrypted when stored and when sent.

• Only authorized NSN team members can access your health information.

• Our phone, video, and text messaging systems are HIPAA-compliant.

• We train our staff regularly on privacy and security practices.

• Breach notification. If your unsecured health information is ever involved in a data breach, we will notify you without unreasonable delay and no later than 60 days after we discover the breach, as required by HIPAA and Texas law. Where a breach affects 500 or more people, we will also notify the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and, where required, the media.

• Our website (ns-navs.com) uses basic cookies to help the site function properly.

• Website cookies are not linked to your health records or patient information.

• You can turn off cookies in your browser at any time without affecting your care.

We contact you by text message and phone for care-related purposes only. These messages are informational healthcare communications — not marketing — sent under the federal healthcare treatment exemption. Message types include scheduling, health reminders, remote monitoring (RPM) alerts based on your vital sign readings, and care coordination. We do not use these channels for promotional purposes.

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• Consent basis. When you provide your phone number to receive care services, that constitutes your prior express consent for care-related messages under federal healthcare communication rules (FCC healthcare treatment exemption). We document the date, time, and method of consent at enrollment and retain those records.

• Message types. Text messages you may receive include: vital sign and diagnostic alerts (e.g., blood pressure, weight, or oxygen readings that need attention); scheduling reminders and appointment confirmations; care check-ins from your nursing team; health and medication reminders tied to your care plan; and billing and administrative notices.

• No marketing texts without separate written consent. We do not send promotional or marketing text messages. If we ever introduce optional, non-care messages, we will first obtain your separate prior express written consent through a clearly labeled opt-in — and consent to those messages will never be a condition of receiving care.

• What to expect. Message frequency varies based on your care plan. Message and data rates may apply, depending on your mobile carrier.

• How to opt out. Reply STOP at any time to stop receiving texts, or reply HELP for assistance. You may also opt out by calling 903-301-0033 or emailing help@ns-navs.com. We will honor your request within 10 business days. Important: because some texts deliver time-sensitive alerts based on your vital sign and diagnostic readings from our remote monitoring system, opting out will stop those alerts as well. Please contact us so we can arrange another way to reach you with care-critical information.

• Revoking consent. You may revoke consent to receive automated communications by any reasonable method — including replying STOP, calling us, or sending a written request. We will honor revocations within 10 business days. Please be aware that revocation applies to all automated communications, including care and remote monitoring messages.

• Recordkeeping. We keep records of when and how consent was provided, and of any opt-out or revocation requests.

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No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All the stated categories in this Privacy Policy exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties. End users can opt out of receiving further messages by replying STOP or ask for more information by replying HELP. Message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply."

• We may update this policy as laws or our services change.

• Any significant updates will be posted on ns-navs.com, and we will note the new effective date at the top of this Notice.

• Contact us at help@ns-navs.com or call 903-301-0033, Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm.

• You have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services at hhs.gov/ocr or 1-800-368-1019. We will never retaliate against you for doing so.

• Texas residents may also contact the Texas Attorney General’s office regarding state health privacy concerns.